Slippery Rock University has three National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) fraternities and sororities on campus; Alpha Phi Alpa Fraternity Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. was the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men. The chapter originated under a different name before moving to Edinboro University where it picked up the name Rho-Pi back in August of 1990. The seat is at Edinboro University, but it is a city wide chapter that was charted by the former Xi Mu chapter of SRU.
Kemoni Farmer, a junior psychology major and criminology minor, is President of Alpha Phi Alpa Fraternity Inc. He was initiated October 2018 and has been president ever since.
Farmer says that schools in between Slippery Rock and Erie, Pennsylvania are under the compass Alpa Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. branch of Slippery Rock.
“If a school in between Slippery Rock and Erie would like to have Alphas on their campus, they usually contact me or my advisor,” Farmer said. “We will try to work with their campus on a national level and try to get Alphas on their campus.”
Alpha Phi Alpa Fraternity Inc. follows three crucial areas on how time and resources are spent: special initiatives, national programs, and alpha foundations.
Some special initiatives that Alpha Phi Alpa Fraternity Inc. takes part of are the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America, Boy Scouts of American, World Policy Council and many more.
National programs that the chapter has implemented are Brother’s Keeper, A Voteless People is a Hopeless People, Project Alpha, among others.
The Alpha Phi Alpha Foundation is the non-profit branch of the fraternity that focuses scholarship, programs and training and membership development.
“The difference between Pan-Hellenic and the Interfraternity Council (IFC), is they have bid parties and stuff like that,” Farmer said. “What NPHC organizations do is hold events and see who comes out to our events and expresses personal interest, shares connections and has qualities that we’re looking for.”
Currently, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. has held study tables but are planning more events towards the end of March.
“I’m the only one in my chapter,” Farmer said. “It’s a big challenge trying to do everything by myself, but I have faith that we are going to bring in more people so we can grow.”
Amir Hill-Davis, a junior homeland security major and writing minor, is the President of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and has been since he was initiated in the spring of 2018.
The fraternity was founded in Bloomington, Indiana in 1911 on Indiana’s campus.
“As far as Slippery Rock, the charter that is here is shared by Slippery Rock and Clarion,” Hill-Davis said. “The original charter was in 1986 in Clarion and was extended to Slippery Rock in 1997.”
The Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. chapter promotes achievement in every field of human endeavor.
Hill-Davis said that Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. tends to work with St. Jude’s and has programs that help youth in low income communities find their way.
Currently, Hill-Davis is the only member, but Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. has a number of events coming in March and April during Kappa week.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. is the women’s NPHC affiliated sorority on campus. They follow the ideals of service, scholarship, sisterhood and finer womanhood. The Lambda Sigmas chapter was chartered at Slippery Rock University in 2005.
Programs that Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. has implemented are the Elder Care Initiative which strives to provide awareness and education about preparing for your senior years, Stork’s Nest which is a 46-year-old partnership between Zeta Phi Beta and March of Dimes to promote a health program designed to encourage prenatal care participation and healthy behaviors during pregnancy and many more.
In 2008, Zetas Helping Other People Excel (Z-HOPE) was approved as the National Service Program of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. This program is an outreach designed to cultivate, enhance and empower participants to develop health promoting lifestyle choices across their lifespan.
